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SUNY Oswego awarded nearly $7.4 million in merit scholarships this past academic year to incoming students who demonstrated an outstanding level of academic achievement. We offer many scholarships that are both merit and need-based to help students pursue higher education.

One application puts you in consideration for both admission to SUNY Oswego and institutional scholarships to help you reach your goals.

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“Free Tuition Plus” Scholarships

Eligibility

“Free Tuition Plus” Scholarships are an invitation for qualifying students to consider a tuition-free future via New York State’s Excelsior Scholarship program, plus the added support of Oswego first-year merit awards for high-achieving students. Those who may qualify for Excelsior Scholarship will be identified as “Free Tuition Plus” scholars and as such will additionally benefit from reminders and communications aimed at helping them achieve and maintain an Excelsior Scholarship at Oswego.

These scholarships are available in three monetary levels and are awarded to incoming first-year Excelsior Scholars (See also the Excelsior Scholarship tab above) who have demonstrated outstanding academic excellence with a strong record of classroom achievement in a challenging college preparatory curriculum. These scholarships are competitively awarded to the top 35 to 45% of students in the entering class.

“Free Tuition Plus” Scholarship Levels
Award Levels% of Full Meal Plan Value*Annual Award*Maximum Award Total*
Presidential** 100% of Full Meal Plan* $5,650* $22,600* (4 years)
Dean** 50% of Full Meal Plan* $2,825* $11,300* (4 years)
Merit 25% of Full Meal Plan* $1,413* $5,648* (4 years)
*Current award totals are based on a percentage of the current estimated value of a Full Meal Plan for students entering in fall 2022. Award amounts will be adjusted to reflect actual cost increases as we approach the fall semester.
**For students entering in fall 2022 — Presidential and Dean awards require on-campus housing status or approved housing exemption.
Incoming first-year students who do not receive the Excelsior Scholarship remain eligible for Presidential, Dean and Merit scholarships at SUNY Oswego. “Free Tuition Plus” scholarships cannot be combined with other Oswego merit scholarships. Additional steps are required for the Excelsior Scholarship.
Policies may vary based on date of entrance to SUNY Oswego and may be subject to point in time updates. See SUNY Oswego’s full Scholarship Policy and your signed commitment form for terms and details.

Renewal

Fall 2022 “Free Tuition Plus” scholarships are renewable for four years by maintaining full-time status, a minimum 3.00 GPA, and housing requirements** where applicable.

First-Year Scholarships

Eligibility

First-year scholarships, available in three monetary levels, are awarded to incoming full-time, first-year students who have demonstrated outstanding academic excellence with a strong record of classroom achievement in a challenging college preparatory curriculum. These scholarships are competitively awarded to the top 35 to 45% of students in the entering class.

First-Year Scholarship Levels
Award LevelsAnnual Award*Maximum Award Total*
Presidential** $5,650* $22,600* (4 years)
Dean** $2,825* $11,300* (4 years)
Merit $1,413* $5,648* (4 years)
*Current award totals are based on a percentage of the current estimated value of a Full Meal Plan for students entering in fall 2022. Award amounts will be adjusted to reflect actual cost increases as we approach the fall semester.
**For students entering in fall 2022 — Presidential and Dean awards require on-campus housing status or approved housing exemption.
Policies may vary based on date of entrance to SUNY Oswego and may be subject to point in time updates. See SUNY Oswego’s full Scholarship Policy and your signed commitment form for terms and details.

Renewal

Fall 2022 First-year scholarships are renewable for four years by maintaining full-time status, a minimum 3.00 GPA, and housing requirements** where applicable.

Transfer Scholarships

Eligibility

Transfer scholarships, available in two monetary levels, are awarded to incoming transfer students who have demonstrated outstanding academic excellence. Full-time transfer students with 24 college credits or more are eligible to receive a transfer scholarship.

Transfer Scholarship Levels
Award LevelsGPAAnnual Award*Maximum Award Total*
Transfer Merit For students entering with a cumulative GPA of 3.00 to 3.49 $1,000* $3,000* (up to 3 years)
Transfer Achievement For students entering with a cumulative GPA of 3.50 or higher $1,500* $4,500* (up to 3 years)
*Transfer scholarship distributions will not exceed half of the annual award per semester. Transfer Achievement Scholarships awarded prior to 2021 are renewable for only one year consecutive to the initial award
Policies may vary based on date of entrance to SUNY Oswego and may be subject to point in time updates. See SUNY Oswego’s full Scholarship Policy and your signed commitment form for terms and details.

Renewal

Fall 2022 transfer awards are renewable for up to three consecutive years or upon graduation, whichever comes first. Renewal requires full-time status and a minimum 3.00 GPA at SUNY Oswego.

Destination Oswego Scholarship

These awards are available to first-year and transfer non-New York state residents and international students, who are not otherwise eligible for New York state tuition, and require full-time study. The award amount is $9,000 annually for up to four years. This award is in addition to merit-based aid opportunities. Requires on-campus housing and full-time status.

SUNY Oswego has a long-standing commitment to higher education access, college completion and cost predictability. And now, through New York State's Excelsior Scholarship program, a greater number of New York students and families will be eligible to earn free tuition at SUNY Oswego.

For more information or to apply, visit New York State’s Higher Education Services Corporation's (HESC) Excelsior Scholarship page.

The Nunzio “Nick” C. and Lorraine E. Marano Scholarships annually fund 62 awards of $5,000 each for first-generation students with financial need. Marano Scholars awards are renewable as long as the student maintains a 3.0 GPA. The endowed scholarships, first presented in 2017, are part of the Scriba family’s generous bequest, the largest-ever gift to the college. Due to graduations and grade requirements, each year the award becomes available to approximately 15 to 20 students.

SUNY Oswego Foundation Scholarships, supporting outstanding students, are funded by generous donors. Awards are available for students interested in particular fields of study, are members of underrepresented groups, possess exceptional talent in the arts or display significant financial need, among other possibilities. Applications are online.

Incoming freshman and transfer students admitted for the fall term are automatically considered for scholarships, and cannot apply for foundation scholarships.

The Possibility Scholars program makes an exceptional academic program available for freshman applicants to Oswego’s fall term. This scholarship program transforms the lives of student scholars and sets them on a trajectory to meet both individual achievement goals and humanity’s need for knowledge to conquer pressing global challenges. Through the generosity of leading donors, we deliver personal and financial assistance to students who face significant barriers to attending college. By integrating three transformational learning experiences, it is among the most comprehensive educational opportunities offered in the region.

When combined with existing need-based aid, Possibility Scholars will receive a full-ride scholarship worth more than $20,000 per year, enabling scholarship recipients to study abroad, engage in research and graduate with little or no debt. New York state students entering STEM fields (Science, Technology, Engineering or Math) are eligible for consideration, with priority given to high-achieving students with significant financial need.

The Summer Research Institute

Accepted students will receive a stipend and room and board to engage in a rigorous laboratory-based summer research experience supporting year-round knowledge building. Working closely with a faculty mentor matched to their academic interests and career goals, Possibility Scholars will exercise critical thinking skills and enter valuable professional relationships for the future.

The Global Laboratory

Possibility Scholars will receive support for an international experience. Scholars will benefit from a holistic learning experience that will provide practice working across borders and time zones to solve real-world problems such as mitigating climate change, controlling emerging diseases, reducing extreme poverty, developing sustainable energy resources, and wisely managing water and food systems. Being embedded in an international community will help develop richer understanding and creative ideas for building a better world.

Financial assistance

The Possibility Scholarship will be applied in coordination with any other grants or scholarships awarded to assure each Possibility Scholar receives full financial support for tuition, mandatory fees, room and board for four years at SUNY Oswego. Our aim is to remove all financial barriers to a college education.

Eligibility

To be considered for the Possibility Scholars program, all applicants must meet the following requirements:

  • Be a resident of New York state.
  • Complete an application for admission to SUNY Oswego as a freshman for the fall.
  • Obtain a Possibility Scholarship nomination/letter of recommendation from an educator at your school. This nomination should speak to your accomplishments in STEM subjects, including any special projects you’ve completed, and your potential to succeed in a STEM field in college.
  • Be admitted to a science, technology, engineering, or math (STEM) major.*
  • Demonstrate high potential for success in a STEM field based on your school grades and SAT or ACT scores.
  • Complete the FAFSA.
  • Must live in a residence hall on the SUNY Oswego campus all four years.

*Preference is given to first-generation college students

Eligible majors include
  • Adolescence Education Biology
  • Adolescence Education Chemistry
  • Adolescence Education Earth Science
  • Adolescence Education Mathematics
  • Adolescence Education Physics
  • Biochemistry
  • Biology
  • Chemistry
  • Cognitive Science
  • Computer Science
  • Electrical and Computer Engineering
  • Geochemistry
  • Geology
  • Information Science
  • Mathematics
  • Mathematics, Applied
  • Mathematical Economics, Applied
  • Meteorology
  • Physics
  • Software Engineering
  • Technology Education
  • Technology Management
  • Zoology

SUNY Oswego’s Co-op program, the first multi-departmental Co-op program in the SUNY system, allows you to create a work-integrated learning experience that enhances your academic studies and career development plans. In a Co-op, students enter a paid, full-time, long-term (12 weeks to 26 weeks) employment opportunity in a mutually beneficial partnership between the student, an institution and an employer.

Because the Co-op placement is a non-credit educational program, students do not pay tuition for this program. Prior to Co-op, students participate in an accredited Professional Skills Preparatory course which provides and prepares students with a  career development curriculum and a variety of resources. Topics include career planning and assessment, market research and job search essentials, resume and interview preparation, professional dress and workplace etiquette, and more while drawing on classroom and workplace experiences to achieve academic learning and career development goals.

Eligibility

To be eligible, students need to:

  • Apply and be accepted to SUNY Oswego;
  • Meet all SUNY Oswego Presidential Scholarship criteria;
  • Commit to participate and meet all SUNY Oswego Co-op program criteria;
  • Matriculate into one of the Co-op majors below:
            Accounting
            Biochemistry
            Business Administration
            Chemistry
            Computer Science
            Electrical and Computer Engineering
            Finance
            Human Resource Management
            Marketing
            Software Engineering
    * If awarded, a Co-op Scholarship will replace your Presidential Scholarship.

Apply

Freshmen entering SUNY Oswego in the fall term can apply to one of twenty, $6,000, renewable merit Co-op Scholarships (up to $24,000 for four years). Applicants must apply to and be accepted to SUNY Oswego. Once accepted, applicants can submit the Co-op scholarship application here by using their SUNY Oswego application portal login information. 

For additional information email co-op@oswego.edu.

Under ROTC, students are able to receive a competitive, merit-based scholarship, covering all or part of college tuition, in return for active military service after graduation. ROTC students attend college classes while receiving basic military and officer training for their chosen branch of service through the ROTC unit at or nearby the college.

There are many scholarships available from private and non-profit institutions or organizations based on your skills and interests. 

Here are additional links to some private scholarships and searches: